The Law Society has secured an amendment to the Sustainable Communities Bill that aims to halt the decline of local amenities by providing protection for high street law firms.


The Bill was introduced by Conservative MP Nick Hurd to ensure the survival of local services in the face of the growing problem of 'Ghost Town Britain' - where local shops and facilities have been allowed to dwindle. The Society's amendment, tabled by Liberal Democrat Julia Goldsworthy, adds 'legal services' to the list of local services that the Bill seeks to protect.



Law Society chief executive Des Hudson said: 'Locally-provided legal services play an important role in the development of thriving, sustainable local communities. This amendment to the Sustainable Communities Bill recognises the importance of local legal services at a time when they are threatened by the crisis in legal aid. We hope it will go some way to ensuring that we maintain real access to justice across the country.'



The Bill returns to the House of Commons in mid-June.



Jonathan Rayner